How and When to Repot Pothos + Pothos Care Tips

Co-authored by Lindsey Swett and Luke Smith, MFA

Last Updated: September 30, 2022 References

Pothos have fast-growing tendrils that add a wonderful bit of green to any room. But because those tendrils grow so quickly, it means your pothos might outgrow its current pot and be in need of repotting. Don’t worry! Repotting your pothos is simple and easy, and we’re here to let you know when and how to do it, as well as how to care for your pothos afterward.

Things You Should Know

Your new pothos pot should be about 2 inches larger than the current pot.
Before repotting, loosen and trim away damaged roots.
You should repot your pothos when the roots start overgrowing, the leaves are wilting, or otherwise every 2-3 years.
Keep your pothos healthy with adequate water, indirect sunlight, and appropriate soil mix.

Section 1 of 3:

Repotting a Pothos

1
Prepare a new pot that’s about 2 inches larger than the current pot. Fill the new pot about halfway with fresh potting mix, so that the pothos has new, nutrient-rich soil in which to grow. Make sure to leave enough room for the pothos itself!
- It’s important not to go too big, too quick. A bigger pot means more soil, and more soil takes longer to dry between waterings. This could rot the roots of your pothos.^{[1]
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- Many houseplant owners prefer clay pots for their indoor plants. Clay pots allow water to pass through their walls and evaporate into the air, which helps avoid overwatering.^{[2]
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  Missouri Botanical Garden
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2
Remove the pothos from the old pot. Carefully grab the base of the pothos, without pulling on the plant. Then gently tip the pot on its side while tapping the bottom in order to loosen the soil and any crowded roots. Continue to do this until the pothos slides out of the pot. ^{[3]
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- If the pothos doesn’t come loose, separate the soil from the edges of the pot with a trowel or butterknife.^{[4]
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- It's best to repot your plant when it's neither too dry nor too wet. You might repot it at the halfway point of your watering cycle.
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3
Use your fingers to loosen the roots. Your plant will grow better if the roots spread out in the new pot. Since the roots are likely root bound, break them up before placing the plant in its new pot. To do this, gently massage the roots with your fingers to break up the dirt and free the roots.
- Try not to pull on the roots too hard because you might accidentally break them.
4
Cut away any dead or damaged roots. Brush away any loose dirt from the roots of the pothos so that you can get a good look at them to see if they're healthy or rotten. If the roots are densely packed or are spiraling around the base of the plant, this means your pothos has become “pot-bound.” In this case, gently break up the roots and trim away the outside, circling roots.^{[5]
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5
Place the pothos in its new pot and add soil. Carefully place the pothos in the center of its new pot, on top of the layer of soil you’ve already added. Then, add more new soil until the soil is level with the old soil of the root ball.^{[6]
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- Don’t fill your pot completely with soil. Instead, leave about an inch between the top of the soil and the lip of the pot, so there’s plenty of room to water without making a mess.^{[7]
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6
Water the pothos until the soil is moist. Keep watering until you see drips coming from the bottom of the pot. This means the soil is totally saturated, and your pothos is happy and comfortable in its new home!

Section 2 of 3:

When to Repot a Pothos

1
The roots are growing out of the pot. When the roots of your pothos begin to wander outside the pot, it means they don’t have enough room to grow in the soil anymore, and it’s time for a bigger pot. This will give the plant more soil to take up much-needed nutrients and water.^{[8]
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2
The leaves are drooping or discolored. Drooping or yellowed leaves can be a sign that your pothos is root-bound, meaning the roots are too crowded and tangled in the pot.^{[9]
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3
It's been 2-3 years since the last time you repotted your plant. Because pothos grow so quickly, they’ll need a new pot pretty often. If you don’t provide your pothos with a larger pot regularly, about every 2 years, its roots can overcrowd and even break its current pot.^{[10]
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Section 3 of 3:

Pothos Care

1
Water your pothos any time the soil becomes dry. When watering your pothos, completely moisten the soil. Only water again when the soil is dried out. Any more and you might lead to over-watering!^{[11]
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- Pothos can handle a little under-watering, but don’t like to be over-watered. Better too little than too much, in this case.^{[12]
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2
Keep your pothos in bright but indirect sunlight. Pothos need a lot of light, so make sure to place your plant somewhere that gets plenty of it. But keep it away from direct sunlight!^{[13]
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University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
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Go to source} Too much direct sunlight can be harsh and can even burn a pothos.^{[14]
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3
Fertilize your pothos with soil high in organic matter. Pothos do well in many common types of soil, but will thrive with a little extra attention. Use 1 part potting soil and 2 parts peat moss to give your pothos a little nutritional boost.^{[15]
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4
Remove any pests that might have found their way onto your pothos. Houseplants are especially likely to develop pest problems, so it’s important to keep a careful eye out for any infestations. Common signs of pests are scales on the plant’s leaves, foreign insects along the stem and leaves, or the thin webbings of spider mites draped across your pothos’ foliage. You can treat these with rubbing-alcohol dipped cotton swabs and insecticidal soap, respectively.^{[16]
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